Yoga Breathing Techniques

This might seem like a strange article to have on here, but the benifits of Yoga breathing are immeasurable.

It is believed that a lot pf people's physical pain comes from the fact that people don't breathe properly and breathe in what is known as shallow breathing.

Also people tend to hold their breath when under stress.

Smokers and ex smokers are notorious for this. A lot of times smokers only breathe deep when they are inhaling a cigarette and when we quit smoking we can tend to constantly breathe shallow.

Check how you breathe and you might be surprised to find out that your breath is shallow.

I know it is common for people to suggest to someone having a crave to try deep breathing. I think people try this advice, but they try to rush it to try to calm down quicker. So I thought I would paste an article that tells you the proper way to practice this. Give it a try, it really does work!!

With the ever-increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases like cardio-vascular and nervous system disorders, the time has come for us to address this ourselves, fair and square WITHOUT external dependence.

Did you know that reprogramming your natural breathing technique would not only help in preventing these problems but also help in the “reversal” of several such harmful conditions? Yes, it’s not only possible but proven too. In fact leading cardiac experts are advocating the benefits of “correct” breathing to their patients.

Surprising as it is, almost none of us use the full capacity of our respiratory organs. This is aggravated by our sedentary lifestyles and leads to several complications popularly called - lifestyle disorders.

The first question that comes to mind is – “How can I alter my natural breathing process?” Well, astonishing as it may seem, it’s true. By training our body to breathe in a particular fashion, we re-program our involuntary system to adopt this new way of breathing.

This breathing technique is called the “Full Yogic breath” or simply Yoga breathing.

Without wasting time, I’ll plunge right away into the technique followed by its overwhelming benefits.

First, lie down on your back, relaxed, with hands and legs outstretched and eyes looking up at the roof. Gently close your eyes and relax.

Step 1: Abdominal breathing

Observe your natural breath. You will notice that as you inhale the abdomen rises and then falls with exhalation. Watch this for a few moments to check this flow. Now begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. That is, while inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit and at exhalation let it fall completely. Keep the chest still during this entire process – only move the abdomen. Continue this for 20 breaths and then rest.

Step 2: Thoracic (chest) breathing

Again observe your normal breath, this time focusing your attention on the chest. You will notice the chest moving slightly up at inhalation and down with exhalation. Again observe this pattern for a few moments. Now again, begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. This time, on inhalation expand and lift the rib cage, filling the lungs completely. Then on exhalation, let the lungs collapse fully, sinking to the limits. In this step, keep the abdomen still, moving only the chest. Do this for 20 breath cycles and then stop

Step 3: Full Yogic breathing

This combines the above 2 steps in the following way:
First inhale by filling the abdomen and then CONTINUE inhaling as you expand and fill the chest. Then exhale first from the chest as it empties and falls and then CONTINUE exhaling from the abdomen as it draws inwards completely. This is one round of the full yogic breath. Repeat this for 20 rounds.

GOLDEN RULE: All of the above steps should be done WITHOUT strain. The natural tendency is to heave with effort. The right way is to make it smooth and effortless. Go slow and easy.

Initially you will experience unevenness or bumps in this breathing process – as if there are 4 separate parts to the full yogic breath. This is natural considering the years we have spent breathing improperly.

Instead, try to picture this breath as a continuous wave like pattern – as if the breath moves up from the navel to the throat with every inhalation and then, down from the throat to the navel with each exhalation. It may take a few weeks of practice to perfect a “SMOOTH flowing pattern with MINIMUM effort and with MAXIMUM capacity.”

This is the desired effect!! Over time, the yoga way of breathing will come naturally to you.

And now for the all-important benefits…

The full yogic breath is the basic building block of the powerful yoga breathing techniques, also called ‘Pranayama’ in Sanskrit, which are known for their multifarious benefits.

But the tangible benefits of the full yogic breath are that it:

Releases acute and chronic muscular tensions around the heart and digestive organs.

Helps sufferers of respiratory illnesses such as asthma and emphysema to overcome the fear of shortness of breath. It actually increases lung capacity.

Encourages proper nervous stimulus to the cardio-vascular system

Dramatically reduces emotional and nervous anxiety

Improves detoxification through increased exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen

Amplifies the auto immune system by increased distribution of energy to the endocrine system

Calms the mind and integrates the mental / physical balance.

And the real icing is that it contributes to both vitality and relaxation through this single practice.

With such powerful all-round benefits, do you really need to be “motivated” to get going?

Go ahead, and take charge of your life like never before.

All the best,
Arun Goel

ms sage and kerance like this

The factor that really shows the addiction is not how hard or how easy it is to quit. What really shows the addiction is how universally easy it is to go back. One puff and the quit can go out the window.~Joel Spitzer

this was a lifesaver post for me over 6 months ago. i would have a crave (which lasts less than a few moments) (really, wear a rubber band around your wrist and when you feel a crave, give that sucker a hard ash snap and time it) and then BREATH!!!

and let that belly go.

for the newbies....

i am back into a pair of levis i was wearing in the beginning. the weight will start to fall back off after that 5-6 month window....

mattter of fact... there is not a single thing the ol phartes promised me that hasn't come to pass so far.

Quitting is about freedom and joy!!!

KTQ and you will find it.

this place probably saved my life from cancer 9but that's not why i came),,, it also has launched me into a nicotine free way of life that I just love (what i came for was here)

You came here to find a nosmo way of life. Welcome to it.

There is so much more than just putting down the ciggs... but without that,,,, eeeee gads!!

The factor that really shows the addiction is not how hard or how easy it is to quit. What really shows the addiction is how universally easy it is to go back. One puff and the quit can go out the window.~Joel Spitzer

All right, I'm getting confused here. What's with all the lightbulbs? I thought this was a way of saying 'I agree with this'. But sometimes I'll see post after post with just lightbulbs. Is there a club of Lightbulbers? How can I can join up?

I've never studied yoga (yet). But I'm drawing on related experience for breathing therapy and exercise. I studied Hapkido, then Aikido for years, until my knees gave out. And proper, deep, breathing was essential. Throughout the day, and in passing craves, I 'take five' to breathe, way down, way slow. If it ain't exactly Yoga, it seems to be close enough--it sure works.

I laughed at this idea at first, just liek some of you may be doing.
I was at the point where I was quitting and choosing to smoke, quitting again and choosing to smoke again, that I needed to try something different.

I tried deep breathing when I wanted a smoke, and it really helped to calm me down, lessen my panic attack, and take away the urgency to need to smoke. It is not the sole reason I have a long quit now, but it sure helped.